5 Tips for Nighttime Photography

Nighttime photography can be an entirely different field than daytime photography. The good news is that it’s easier than you might think to get the hang of it, especially if you apply the right kind of tricks and techniques. Are you ready to take some amazing night photos? Here are just five ways to get it done.

1. Toggle Your Flash

This goes without saying, of course, but you should get in the habit of doing it as soon as the sun goes down. Otherwise you might ruin the perfect sunset photo with an ugly burst of light because you forgot to turn off your flash! If your camera has an automatic or built-in flash, you might want to upgrade your model entirely. Find one specifically made for nighttime photography.

2. Adjust Your FPS

Your frames per second (FPS) rate can have a big impact on how your photography turns out, especially at night when longer exposures are recommended for lower levels of light. While you’ll have to experiment with different FPS rates for different settings, a good starting point is 20-30.

3. Watch the Shadows

This is especially important if you’re taking time-lapse photos in nighttime settings. The shadows of a building or lamppost will be very different between the hours of 5PM and 5AM, so make sure that your photos won’t suffer from ugly or inconvenient light anywhere in between. If need be, stake out your setting the night before your photography will take place.

4. Use a Tripod

Because of the way that you have to adjust your lens and shutter speeds for nighttime photography, the slightest tremor in your hands can result in a dramatically different picture than the one you intended. Even if you don’t use a tripod for your everyday photography, consider investing in one for your “every night” photography.

5. Ask the Experts

Find blogs dedicated to stargazing and space photos. Join a group of nature photographers Dallas Texas. Enroll in a professional class for nighttime photography. There are many people out there who take these kinds of pictures for a living, and you can benefit from their knowledge if you’re willing to reach out and learn.

Whether you’re shooting the stars for an astronomy project or just hoping to catch some good candids during your next evening event, let these tips help you improve your nighttime photography. Good luck!